Earth shoring apparatus

ABSTRACT

Two opposed, parallel series of suitably guided, elongate, noninterlocking, steel sheeting elements are driven vertically into the earth adjacent to an area where earth is to be excavated, to shore against earth collapse. The driving of the sheeting elements is accomplished by hydraulic or other fluid means associated with such elements, and the weight of relatively massive manifolds and fluid-supply and fluid-distribution pipes is utilized to assist gravitation of the sheeting elements into the earth as the hydraulic fluid flushes earth away from beneath the sheeting elements. Under many soil conditions, additional weight is imposed upon the upper ends of the sheeting elements to assist the hydraulic or fluid means. The imposition of suction through the hydraulic means may be employed under some soil conditions to de-water the earth area at or adjacent to the excavation.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,782,125 Hull Jan. 1, 1974 i 1 EARTHSHORING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Edward J. Hall, 320 Warwick Ave.,Primary ExammerDenms Taylor South Orange, NJ 07079 A!trneyRobertHenderson [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [2H Appl' 216,936 Twoopposed, parallel series of suitably guided, elongate, non-interlocking,steel sheeting elements are [52] US. Cl. 61/41 A, 61/63 drivenVertically into the earth adjacent to an area [51] Int. Cl E21d /12Where earth is to be excavated, to Shore against earth 581 Field ofSearch 61/41 A, 36 A, 53.74, Collapse The driving Of the SheetingelementS- is 6I/63 4 175 21 complished by hydraulic or other fluid meansassociated with such elements, and the weight of relatively [5References i d massive manifolds and fluid-supply and fluid- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS distribution pipes is utilized to assist gravitation ofthe sheeting elements into the earth as the hydraulic fluid 3,584,4656/1971 Holl 61/41 A flushes earth y from beneath the Sheeting 1,024,8224/1912 Bignell 6l/53.74 d 21,59,210 11/1953 stengel elaL 61/41 A ments.Un er many s01 conditions, additional weight 823 [29 (M906 LcFcvre v61/5374 is imposed upon the upper ends of the sheeting ele- 1,1ss:5s25/1916 Bignell 61/53.74 mems to assist the hydraulic Or fluid means- The1,588,754 6/1926 Langworthy 61/53.74 x position of suction hrough hehydraulic means may 1,905,643 4/1933 Johnson 6l/53.74 X be employedunder some soil conditions to de-water 2.6 3.4 /195 T mp t n 6 /5 -74the earth area at or adjacent to the excavation. 3,606,757 9/1971 DeWeese et a1. 61/41 A 3,668,874 6/1912 Krings 61/41 A 7 Chums, 11 DrawingFlgures 50 50 64 48 48 68 68) 64 FLUID l"" 4 FLUID SUPPLY {T /n...SUPPLY 1 74 a L 62' T 4 I 1: 62 66 "-nr% 1i: %-L|E,(L l q 14,, iv h '140 42 :51: 4O :1 ii! iii :55 f ,38 3a 4'- ao fi --40 iii 51 Ill 40 40Ell/20 '4 34 34 36 :i;,.- l if PAIENTEDJAH 1mm 3 78? 125 sum 10F s w muW fw 0 w Ill l l l l I I l I l l I I ll Hufln h l lml l n fim w 3 6 G Iw F 8 a /W l 4 5 I L" I wm mwwnwwm w wwmmmmwwm w W PH. run I. .n dh I II 1 I I l I l I II II 7w 4 2 w DY 2 m .HU 6 S PATENTEDJM 1 1974 SHEU 3OF 5 :FIG. 3

l In FIG.7

PATENTEDJAH 11914 3,782,125

SHEEF M W 5 FLUID SUPPLY 1 EARTH SHORING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION It is often necessary to provide earth shoring means forpreventing the collapse of earth as digging progresses in formingtrenches or other excavations in pipe laying or other more or lessequivalent operations.

In forming suitable earth shoring means, so-called sheeting has beenemployed such as, for example, horizontally disposed coplanar woodenboards held in edge to edge relationship by suitable bracing means. Morerecently, vertically disposed, coplanar sheeting elements of woodenboards or of elongate, side edge interlocking steel elements have beenemployed as sheeting means for shoring excavations.

Such vertical sheeting elements, as hitherto employed and driven,involve serious drawbacks. Thus, they had to be individually elevated,and then precisely guided and driven, necessitating the allowance ofconsiderable headroom above ground level to accommodate the lengths ofthe sheeting elements to be driven and also requiring additionalheadroom for the boom of a crane for holding the sheeting elementsvertically in proper position for driving and for aiding in the supportof pile driving apparatus employed to drive the sheeting elements intothe ground.

The use of pile driving apparatus damages the upper and lower ends ofthe vertical sheeting elements and also compacts the underlying earththereby increasing resistance to the driving force, and sometimescausing such severe earth vibrations as to damage existing nearbybuildings or'other structures.

There are other drawbacks in the prior art practices, but the foregoingshould show the need for improvements in the indicated art.

THE GENERAL OBJECTS OF THIS INVENTION Without laboring the advantages ofthe present invention over the indicated prior practices, it shouldsuffice to say that the objectives of the present invention are toprovide substantially improved and less costly means for shoring earthto prevent its collapse upon digging of a trench or other excavation.The use herein of the word trench" should be understood as referring toany trench or excavation in which the present invention may be employed.Also, the term driven" is used herein to comprehend not only the forcingof the sheeting elements into the earth but also the treatment ofunderlying earth enabling said elements to settle into the earth.

Further and more specific objectives are to provide improved and moreeconomical means for driving vertical sheeting and for de-watering theearth at the excavation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING In the accompanyingdrawing which illustrates preferred means according to this inventionfor earth shoring and earth de-watering:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, partially sectional view of the principal parts ofapparatus according to this invention, as located in relation to ashallow, initially dug trench, in position to commence driving ofvertical steel sheeting elements simultaneously at opposite sides of atrench to be excavated.

FIG. 2 is a view, somewhat similar to FIG. 1, but showing the apparatusas shortly before completion of the driving of the vertical steelsheeting.

FIG. 3 is a vertical view, partly in section, of only certain parts ofthe apparatus, approximately in positions which they occupy at thecompletion of excavating of the trench.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion (of indefinite length) of theapparatus overlying an area to be excavated, which may be considered tobe for a trench to receive a sewer pipe or the like.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rigid, rectangular steel frameconstituting an important part of the apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail, viewable with reference to FIG. 4,illustrating certain pipe connecting means which are usable to conditionthe apparatus for de-watering purposes.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of cleats for holding upright, steelsheeting elements in proper vertical positions during driving thereof.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the association of thecleat of FIG. 8 with a steel, vertical sheeting element, and also withan inner guide member or stringer to hold said sheeting element inproper vertical position during driving thereof.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the opposite orobscured side of the structures shown in FIG. 10 to make clear theassociation of the cleat of FIG. 9 with a steel, vertical sheetingelement, and also with an outer guide member or stringer to hold saidsheeting element in proper vertical position during driving thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In some respects, the earth shoring apparatusaccording to the present invention is similar to the apparatus disclosedin my US. Pat. No. 3,584,465 dated June 15, 1971, to which reference maybe had in'relation to the present disclosure. The principal differencebetween the disclosure of my said patent and the present invention isthat, according to the latter, the sheeting elements are driven with theuse of hydraulic or other fluid means, while, in this disclosure of mysaid patent, they are driven by mechanical impact such as is afforded bya pile driver or by a vibratory device.

According to the present invention, similar, elongate, steel sheetingelements 20 are employed in vertical positions. FIG. 4 shows the upperends of two parallel series of such elements, almost abutting each othersidewisely along opposite sides of an area where a trench is to be dug.These sheeting elements may electively be of various shapes in crosssection, but are illustrated as of a preferred modified V" shape.adjacent,

Most of the remainder of the shoring apparatus is arranged to verticallydrive and guide the sheeting elements 20 into their shoring positionsand to hold them in place during excavating operations and duringoperations taking place in the trench.

It may be assumed, for the purpose of this description, that a long,straight, relatively narrow trench is to be dug, to receive a largesewer pipe or the like as indicated in chain lines at P in FIG. 3.Before any of the disclosed apparatus is used, an initial, shallowtrench A is dug, and a counter trench B is cutaway along each margin ofthe trench A. Because of the shallowness of the dug portions A and B, noshoring is thus far needed.

One or more rigid, rectangular frames 22 (FIG. of steel are lowered intothe bottom of the initial trench A, these being placed in end to endabutting relationship if, as is often the case, more than one such frameis needed to extend them substantially throughout the length of thedeeper trench to be dug. The trench A, as shown in FIG. 1, shouldpreferably be wider than the frames 22, at least to the extent of abouttwice the face to face width of a sheeting element 20, to provide clearareas at opposite sides of the frames.

Flat cross supports 24 are then laid across the initial trench A,preferably in positions directly above the ends of the frame or frames22. The ends of the cross supports 24 rest upon the upwardly facingsurfaces of the counter trench B. Rigid inside stringers 26, preferablyof about the same lengths as directly underlying frames 22, are laidupon the cross supports 24 directly above the side margins of theunderlying frames, these stringers being limited against inward shiftingby angle brackets or equivalent lug elements 28, riveted or otherwisesuitably fixed to the upper faces of the cross supports 24.

Somewhat similar, rigid, outside stringers 30 are laid upon the crosssupports 24, parallel to the inside stringers 26 and spaced from thelatter slightly more than the face to face width of the sheetingelements 20 which are to be employed. Outer lug elements 32 are suitablyfixed to the cross supports to limit the outward shifting of the outsidestringers 30.

After the described disposition of the stringers 26 and 30, the steelsheeting elements 20 are individually carried by a crane and loweredinto vertical, slightly spaced side-edge to side-edge positions betweenthe inside and outside stringers until their lower ends descend intoplace within the clear areas at the outer sides of the frame 22. As thesheeting elements 20 are thus positioned, cleats 34 and 36 are used tothe extent necessary to hold the positioned sheeting elements againstmaterial tilting from their vertical attitudes. These cleats, detailedhereinafter, are employed in engagement with a sheeting element 20 andwith the stringers 26, 30 and the side members of the frame 22. They maybe used with each sheeting element as the latter are positioned or withevery second or third sheeting element of a series, as may be needed, tohold the sheeting elements against material tilting.

The sheeting elements 20, at opposite sides of the initial trench anddisposed along the sides of a single one of the frames 22 may be drivensimultaneously; and separate, similar hydraulic assemblies arepreferably provided for driving the sheeting elements associated witheach frame 22.

The following is a description of one of said hydraulic assembliesarranged for simultaneously driving all the sheeting elements 20 relatedto a single one of the frames 22.

Each of the sheeting elements 20 is provided with a vertical pipe 38extending within the V of said element and from the top or near the topto the bottom end or slightly below the bottom end of the sheetingelement. These pipes are suitably slidably guided in their relatedsheeting elements by suitable restrainers 40 (FIGS. 1, 2, and A pair ofmanifolds 42, of considerably greater diameter than the pipes 38, aresecured by "U" bolts 44 upon and toward opposite ends of rigid,cross-wisely disposed manifold supports 46 located at opposite ends ofthe hydraulic assembly and, if needed, at an intermediate point of saidassembly. Thus, the manifolds are supported to extend longitudinally ofand adjacent to the series of sheeting elements which are at oppositesides of the trench. The ends of the manifolds 42 are closed bypreferably removable caps 43.

The supports 46 and the manifolds 42 thereon are hung upon the upperends of adjacent sheeting elements 20 by means of chains 48, suitablyconnected at their lower ends to upper parts of the U bolts 44 ordirectly to some part of said supports; the chains 48 having books 50engaged over the upper ends of adjacent sheeting elements. Thisarrangement serves to impose the weight of the manifolds 42 and themanifold supports 46 upon the upper ends of some of the sheetingelements.

The weight of the manifolds 42 and the cross supports 46 may somewhatsimilarly be imposed upon the other sheeting elements by means of hooks52 on chains 54, the lower ends of which may be welded to the manifoldsor may be suitably secured to straps 56 extending around the manifoldsadjacent to said other sheeting elements. Thus, the weight of themanifolds and cross supports is applied to all of the sheeting elementsto supplement, for driving purposes, the hydraulic means disclosedherein.

Short pipe studs 58 (FIG. 6) are welded or otherwise fluid-tightly fixedinto the manifolds 42, being spaced apart horizontally to correspondapproximately to the spacing of the pipes 38 of the sheeting elements 20to be driven. At the outer ends of these pipe studs are providedshut-off valves 60; and preferably flexible connections 62 are employedto interconnect said valves and the upper ends of adjacent verticalpipes 38.

Each manifold 4 is provided with a supply pipe 64 connected to a pump 66which receives water or other fluid from fluid supply 68, said pump andfluid supply being shown by symbols in the drawing.

THE MANNER OF UTILIZING THE APPARATUS After all the sheeting elements tobe driven have been placed in their initial or non-driven positionsindicated in FIG. 1, the manifolds 42 with their related supports 46,and with their pipe studs 58 and valves 60 connected thereto, are liftedby a crane into their places as shown in FIG. 1. Concomitant of thuspositioning the manifolds, the hooks 50, 52 of the chains 48 and 54 areengaged over the upper ends of their ajdacent, related sheeting elementsso that the latter, collectively, support the manifolds and all otherapparatus in fixed relation to the manifolds. Also, the valves 60 andpipe studs 58 of each manifold are connected by their flexibleconnections 62 of the upper ends of their adjacent, related verticalpipes 38.

Then, each supply pipe 64 is interconnected between the related manifold42 and pump 66; and the latter is connected to a suitable source 68 offluid supply.

The hydraulic driving of the plural sheeting elements 20 is started uponcompletion of assembling of the apparatus as hereinbefore described. Allvalves 60 are opened and operation of the pumps 66 is commenced. Thisresults in fluid being forcibly ejected from the open or orificed lowerends of the pipes 38 as indicated by diverging irregular lines in FIG.1.

The forcibly ejected fluid cuts away the earth immediately beneath thesheeting elements 20, thereby enabling them to descend into the earthlargely by their own weight. The weight of the manifolds 42, the crosssupports 46 and everything carried by the latter will, of course,contribute to the descent of the sheeting elements into the earthbecause of the chain connections of said parts of the apparatus to theupper ends of said sheeting elements. If needed, any suitable mass,affording added weight, may be placed upon the supports 46, as indicatedat 74 in FIGS. 1 and 2, to aid additionally in the descent of thesheeting elements.

When the just described descent of the sheeting elements has progressedto about the extent indicated in FIG. 2, the hydraulic driving issuspended temporarily, and the stringers 26 and 30 and the crosssupports 24 are removed. Then, the hydraulic driving of the sheetingelements is resumed, and is completed when the upper ends of the latterare about level with the adjacent earth, as shown in FIG. 3. Uponcompletion of the driving, the cross supports 46 and manifolds 42 andall related weights are still hung by chains 48, 54 upon the sheetingelements 20.

At this point in operations, the frame 22 is still supported on thebottom of the initial trench A where deepening of that trench has notyet been commenced. Plural chains 70, at this time, are connected bytheir hooked ends, between the four corners of the frame 22 and theupper ends of adjacent, completely driven sheeting elements 20, to givesupport to said frame even after underlying earth is later dug away.

If the condition of the earth where the final or deep trench is to bedug is such that de-watering of the earth is not necessary, the flexibleconnections 62 are all disconnected from their related pipes 38, and themanifold supports 46 and all the hydraulic apparatus carried thereby areremoved by suitable crane means. At that point, the frame 22 is held bychains 70 approximately at the level shown in FIG. 3.

The planned bottom of the trench to be dug is indicated at C in FIG. 3,from which it may be seen that the sheeting elements 20 are of suchlength and driven to such a depth that their lower ends are below thelevel of the planned bottom C of the trench.

After the chains 70 are hooked to the frame 22 to supportthe latter, thedigging means are arranged to extend down through said frame and areoperated to dig the trench to its full depth C. During and after suchdigging, the shoring walls constituted of the sheeting elements 20 areheld against inward collapse or shifting by the frame 22 near saidelements upper ends and by the earth remaining between the lower ends ofthe sheeting elements.

If de-watering is desired before and during the digging of the trench toits full depth and during pipe laying or other work therein, thehydraulic apparatus is not removed from the upper ends of the sheetingelements 20 but is left in place at least until the need for de-wateringends. To effect de-watering, the operation of pumps 66 is reversed (ifthey are the reversible type) or oppositely acting pumps or suctionpumps are substituted for the pumps 66 to extract excess water from theearth.

When the need for de-watering ends, and there is no longer any need forthe hydraulic apparatus, said apparatus may be removed by suitable cranemeans.

If it is desired, the pumps 66 may be of sufficient capacity to work,either for the driving of the sheeting elements or for de-watering,through more than a single manifold 42 for each pump, in which caseplural manifolds 42 may be interconnected by sleeve connections 72,substituted for caps 43, as shown in FIG. 7.

The apparatus of this invention may be utilized beyond itsabove-indicated uses, to aid in extracting the sheeting elements 20after the work in the trench has been completed and the trench refilledwith earth. For this purpose, the hydraulic apparatus is left in placeduring digging of the trench, during work in the trench, and during therefilling of the trench. Thereafter, fluid is pumped downwardly in thepipes 38 by the pumps 66, thereby, to some extent, lubricating thesheeting elements and adding some propulsion upwardly to the latter toaid the crane means in extracting the sheeting elements from the earth.

The cleat 34 (FIG. 8) is of substantially rigid metal formed with a Vportion 34a which nests within a corresponding V portion of a relatedsheeting element 20, as shown in FIG. 10, and has two inwardly expandedlips 3417 which fit snugly over an upstanding flange of the insidestringer 26.

The cleat 36 (FIG. 9) is also of substantially rigid metal formed withside members 36a and a V portion 3612 within which nests a correspondingV portion of a related sheeting element 20, as best seen in FIG. 11. Thecleat 36 has an outwardly expanded lip 36c which fits snugly over anupstanding flange of the outside stringer 30.

It will be apparent that, with cleats 34, 36 used on every sheetingelement 20 to be driven or upon selected ones of said elements, thelatter will be held against material departure from their desiredvertical attitudes.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, cleats 34 are also preferably used tocooperate between the frame or frames 22 and sheeting elements 20 togive further assurance against departure of the sheeting elements fromtheir vertical attitudes.

It should be apparent that this invention achieves all its statedobjectives and presents a substantial improvement in the art of earthshoring.

I claim:

1. Earth shoring apparatus comprising:

a. two opposed, approximately parallel series of vertically disposed,elongate, relatively rigid, sheeting elements;

b. spacing means extending between opposed upper end portions andopposed lower portions of said elemnts of said two series to maintainapproximately uniform spacing therebetween corresponding approximatelyto the width of an earth area of a trench to be dug;

c. vertical pipes, fixed to and extending vertically from upper endportions to lower end portions of said sheeting elements and opening atsaid lower end portions;

(1. a pair of rigid, horizontally disposed manifolds, separatelysupported by said two series at upper portions of sheeting elementsthereof;

e. fluid-supply pipes connecting said manifolds to a source of supply offluid; and

f. fluid-distribution pipes connecting said manifolds to the upper endsof said vertical pipes;

g. whereby fluid, introduced into said manifolds and thence into saidvertical pipes and forcibly ejected from the open lower ends of thelatter, flushes earth from beneath said sheeting elements to facilitategravitation of the latter into the earth, and the weight of saidmanifolds materially assists such gravitation.

2. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 1, said spacing meansextending between opposed upper end portions of said sheeting elementscomprising rigid, crosswisely-disposed manifold supports upon oppositeend portions of which said manifolds are disposed.

3. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 2, said spacing meansextending between opposed lower portions of said sheeting elementscomprising a rigid, horizontally disposed, rectangular frame; withrespect to which said series of sheeting elements are slideable duringsaid gravitation thereof.

4. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 3, further includingintermediate spacing means comprising spaced, rigid, horizontal, crosssupports extending between areas at outer sides of said series ofsheeting elements; and rigid, horizontal, outer and inner stringers,supported upon said cross supports, located respectively outside of andinside of the sheeting elements of both said series and constrained bysaid cross supports to slideably engage and guide said series duringgravitation thereof.

5. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 4, further includingcleats, slideably coacting between said stringers and said series andbetween said frame and said series to aid in guiding the sheetingelements of said series during their said gravitation.

6. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 4, said manifolds andtheir said supports and said fluid-supply and fluid-distribution pipesbeing removable from said series after gravitation of the latter toprovide an adequate area for trench digging operations.

7. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 4, further includingsuspension means, connected between said rectangular frame and upperportions of sheeting elements of both said series, and being of suchdimensions as to hold said frame suspended in an approximatelyhorizontal position between and toward the upper limits of siad twoseries to space the latter apart following completion of digging of thetrench.

1. Earth shoring apparatus comprising: a. two opposed, approximatelyparallel series of vertically disposed, elongate, relatively rigid,sheeting elements; b. spacing means extending between opposed upper endportions and opposed lower portions of said elemnts of said two seriesto maintain approximately uniform spacing therebetween correspondingapproximately to the width of an earth area of a trench to be dug; c.vertical pipes, fixed to and extending vertically from upper endportions to lower end portions of said sheeting elements and opening atsaid lower end portions; d. a pair of rigid, horizontally disposedmanifolds, separately supported by said two series at upper portions ofsheeting elements thereof; e. fluid-supply pipes connecting saidmanifolds to a source of supply of fluid; and f. fluid-distributionpipes connecting said manifolds to the upper ends of said verticalpipes; g. whereby fluid, introduced into said manifolds and thence intosaid vertical pipes and forcibly ejected from the open lower ends of thelatter, flushes earth from beneath said sheeting elements to facilitategravitation of the latter into the earth, and the weight of saidmanifolds materially assists such gravitation.
 2. Earth shoringapparatus according to claim 1, said spacing means extending betweenopposed upper end portions of said sheeting elements comprising rigid,crosswisely-disposed manifold supports upon opposite end portions ofwhich said manifolds are disposed.
 3. Earth shoring apparatus accordingto claim 2, said spacing means extending between opposed lower portionsof said sheeting elements comprising a rigid, horizontally disposed,rectangular frame, with respect to which said series of sheetingelements are slideable during said gravitation thereof.
 4. Earth shoringapparatus according to claim 3, further including intermediate spacingmeans comprising spaced, rigid, horizontal, cross supports extendingbetween areas at outer sides of said series of sheeting elements; andrigid, horizontal, outer and inner stringers, supported upon said crosssupports, located respectively outside of and inside of the sheetingelements of both said series and constrained by said cross supports toslideably engage and guide said series during gravitation thereof. 5.Earth shoring apparatus according to claim 4, further including cleats,slideably coacting between said stringers and said series and betweensaid frame and said series to aid in guiding the sheeting elements ofsaid series during their said gravitation.
 6. Earth shoring apparatusaccording to claim 4, said manifolds and their said supports and saidfluid-supply and fluid-distribution pipes being removable from saidseries after gravitation of the latter to provide an adequate area fortrench digging operations.
 7. Earth shoring apparatus according to claim4, further including suspension means, connected between saidrectangular frame and upper portions of sheeting elements of both saidseries, and being of such dimensions as to hold said frame suspended inan approximately horizontal position between and toward the upper limitsof siad two series to space the latter apart following completion ofdigging of the trench.